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(a) "Child care organization" means a governmental or nongovernmental organization having as its principal function receiving minor children for care, maintenance, training, and supervision, notwithstanding that educational instruction may be given. Child care organization includes organizations commonly described as child caring institutions, child placing agencies, children's camps, children's campsites, children's therapeutic group homes, child care centers, day care centers, nursery schools, parent cooperative preschools, foster homes, group homes, or child care homes. Child care organization does not include a governmental or nongovernmental organization that does either of the following:

(i) Provides care exclusively to minors who have been emancipated by court order under section 4(3) of 1968 PA 293, MCL 722.4.

(ii) Provides care exclusively to persons who are 18 years of age or older and to minors who have been emancipated by court order under section 4(3) of 1968 PA 293, MCL 722.4, at the same location.

(b) "Child caring institution" means a child care facility that is organized for the purpose of receiving minor children for care, maintenance, and supervision, usually on a 24-hour basis, in buildings maintained by the child caring institution for that purpose, and operates throughout the year. An educational program may be provided, but the educational program shall not be the primary purpose of the facility. Child caring institution includes a maternity home for the care of unmarried mothers who are minors and an agency group home, that is described as a small child caring institution, owned, leased, or rented by a licensed agency providing care for more than 4 but less than 13 minor children. Child caring institution also includes institutions for developmentally disabled or emotionally disturbed minor children. Child caring institution does not include a hospital, nursing home, or home for the aged licensed under article 17 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.20101 to 333.22260, a boarding school licensed under section 1335 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1335, a hospital or facility operated by the state or licensed under the mental health code, 1974 PA 258, MCL 330.1001 to 330.2106, or an adult foster care family home or an adult foster care small group home licensed under the adult foster care facility licensing act, 1979 PA 218, MCL 400.701 to 400.737, in which a child has been placed under section 5(6).

(c) "Child placing agency" means a governmental organization or an agency organized under the nonprofit corporation act, 1982 PA 162, MCL 450.2101 to 450.3192, for the purpose of receiving children for placement in private family homes for foster care or for adoption. The function of a child placing agency may include investigating applicants for adoption and investigating and certifying foster family homes and foster family group homes as provided in this act. The function of a child placing agency may also include supervising children who are at least 16 but less than 21 years of age and who are living in unlicensed residences as provided in section 5(4).

(d) "Children's camp" means a residential, day, troop, or travel camp that provides care and supervision and is conducted in a natural environment for more than 4 children, apart from the children's parents, relatives, or legal guardians, for 5 or more days in a 14-day period.

(e) "Children's campsite" means the outdoor setting where a children's residential or day camp is located.

(f) "Children's therapeutic group home" means a child caring institution receiving not more than 6 minor children who are diagnosed with a developmental disability as defined in section 100a of the mental health code, 1974 PA 258, MCL 330.1100a, or a serious emotional disturbance as defined in section 100d of the mental health code, 1974 PA 258, MCL 330.1100d, and that meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Provides care, maintenance, and supervision, usually on a 24-hour basis.

(ii) Complies with the rules for child caring institutions, except that behavior management rooms, personal restraint, mechanical restraint, or seclusion, which is allowed in certain circumstances under licensing rules, are prohibited in a children's therapeutic group home.

(iii) Is not a private home.

(iv) Is not located on a campus with other licensed facilities.

(g) "Child care center" or "day care center" means a facility, other than a private residence, receiving 1 or more preschool or school-age children for care for periods of less than 24 hours a day, where the parents or guardians are not immediately available to the child. Child care center or day care center includes a facility that provides care for not less than 2 consecutive weeks, regardless of the number of hours of care per day. The facility is generally described as a child care center, day care center, day nursery, nursery school, parent cooperative preschool, play group, before- or after-school program, or drop-in center. Child care center or day care center does not include any of the following:

(i) A Sunday school, a vacation bible school, or a religious instructional class that is conducted by a religious organization where children are attending for not more than 3 hours per day for an indefinite period or for not more than 8 hours per day for a period not to exceed 4 weeks during a 12-month period.

(ii) A facility operated by a religious organization where children are in the religious organization's care for not more than 3 hours while persons responsible for the children are attending religious services.

(iii) A program that is primarily supervised, school-age-child-focused training in a specific subject, including, but not limited to, dancing, drama, music, or religion. This exclusion applies only to the time a child is involved in supervised, school-age-child-focused training.

(iv) A program that is primarily an incident of group athletic or social activities for school-age children sponsored by or under the supervision of an organized club or hobby group, including, but not limited to, youth clubs, scouting, and school-age recreational or supplementary education programs. This exclusion applies only to the time the school-age child is engaged in the group athletic or social activities and if the school-age child can come and go at will.

(h) "Department" means the department of human services or a successor agency or department responsible for licensure and registration under this act.

(i) "Private home" means a private residence in which the licensee or registrant permanently resides as a member of the household, which residency is not contingent upon caring for children or employment by a licensed or approved child placing agency. Private home includes a full-time foster family home, a full-time foster family group home, a group child care home, or a family child care home, as follows:

(i) "Foster family home" means a private home in which 1 but not more than 4 minor children, who are not related to an adult member of the household by blood or marriage, or who are not placed in the household under the Michigan adoption code, chapter X of the probate code of 1939, 1939 PA 288, MCL 710.21 to 710.70, are given care and supervision for 24 hours a day, for 4 or more days a week, for 2 or more consecutive weeks, unattended by a parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian.

(ii) "Foster family group home" means a private home in which more than 4 but fewer than 7 minor children, who are not related to an adult member of the household by blood or marriage, or who are not placed in the household under the Michigan adoption code, chapter X of the probate code of 1939, 1939 PA 288, MCL 710.21 to 710.70, are provided care for 24 hours a day, for 4 or more days a week, for 2 or more consecutive weeks, unattended by a parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian.

(iii) "Family child care home" means a private home in which 1 but fewer than 7 minor children are received for care and supervision for compensation for periods of less than 24 hours a day, unattended by a parent or legal guardian, except children related to an adult member of the family by blood, marriage, or adoption. Family child care home includes a home in which care is given to an unrelated minor child for more than 4 weeks during a calendar year. A family child care home does not include an individual providing babysitting services for another individual. As used in this subparagraph, "providing babysitting services" means caring for a child on behalf of the child's parent or guardian when the annual compensation for providing those services does not equal or exceed $600.00 or an amount that would according to the internal revenue code of 1986 obligate the child's parent or guardian to provide a form 1099-MISC to the individual for compensation paid during the calendar year for those services.

(iv) "Group child care home" means a private home in which more than 6 but not more than 12 minor children are given care and supervision for periods of less than 24 hours a day unattended by a parent or legal guardian, except children related to an adult member of the family by blood, marriage, or adoption. Group child care home includes a home in which care is given to an unrelated minor child for more than 4 weeks during a calendar year.

(j) "Legal custodian" means an individual who is at least 18 years of age in whose care a minor child remains or is placed after a court makes a finding under section 13a(5) of chapter XIIA of the probate code of 1939, 1939 PA 288, MCL 712A.13a.

(k) "Licensee" means a person, partnership, firm, corporation, association, nongovernmental organization, or local or state government child care organization that has been issued a license under this act to operate a child care organization.

(l) "Provisional license" means a license issued to a child care organization that is temporarily unable to conform to all of the rules promulgated under this act.

(m) "Regular license" means a license issued to a child care organization indicating that the organization is in compliance with all rules promulgated under this act.

(n) "Guardian" means the guardian of the person.

(o) "Minor child" means any of the following:

(i) A person less than 18 years of age.

(ii) A person who is a resident in a child caring institution, foster family home, or foster family group home, who is at least 18 but less than 21 years of age, and who meets the requirements of the young adult voluntary foster care act.

(iii) A person who is a resident in a child caring institution, children's camp, foster family home, or foster family group home; who becomes 18 years of age while residing in a child caring institution, children's camp, foster family home, or foster family group home; and who continues residing in a child caring institution, children's camp, foster family home, or foster family group home to receive care, maintenance, training, and supervision. A minor child under this subparagraph does not include a person 18 years of age or older who is placed in a child caring institution, foster family home, or foster family group home under an adjudication under section 2(a) of chapter XIIA of the probate code of 1939, 1939 PA 288, MCL 712A.2, or under section 1 of chapter IX of the code of criminal procedure, 1927 PA 175, MCL 769.1. This subparagraph applies only if the number of those residents who become 18 years of age does not exceed the following:

(A) Two, if the total number of residents is 10 or fewer.

(B) Three, if the total number of residents is not less than 11 and not more than 14.

(C) Four, if the total number of residents is not less than 15 and not more than 20.

(D) Five, if the total number of residents is 21 or more.

(iv) A person 18 years of age or older who is placed in an unlicensed residence under section 5(4) or a foster family home under section 5(7).

(p) "Registrant" means a person who has been issued a certificate of registration under this act to operate a family child care home.

(q) "Registration" means the process by which the department regulates family child care homes, and includes the requirement that a family child care home certify to the department that the family child care home has complied with and will continue to comply with the rules promulgated under this act.

(r) "Certificate of registration" means a written document issued under this act to a family child care home through registration.

(t) "Religious organization" means a church, ecclesiastical corporation, or group, not organized for pecuniary profit, that gathers for mutual support and edification in piety or worship of a supreme deity.

(u) "School-age child" means a child who is eligible to be enrolled in a grade of kindergarten or above, but is less than 13 years of age.

(v) "Licensee designee" means the individual designated in writing by the board of directors of the corporation or by the owner or person with legal authority to act on behalf of the company or organization on licensing matters. All license applications must be signed by the licensee in the case of the individual or by a member of the corporation, company, or organization.

(2) A facility or program for school-age children that is currently operated and has been in operation and licensed or approved as provided in this act for a minimum of 2 years may apply to the department to be exempt from inspections and on-site visits required under section 5. The department shall respond to a facility or program requesting exemption from inspections and on-site visits required under section 5 as provided under this subsection within 45 days from the date the completed application is received. The department may grant exemption from inspections and on-site visits required under section 5 to a facility or program that meets all of the following criteria:

(a) The facility or program has been in operation and licensed or approved under this act for a minimum of 2 years immediately preceding the application date.

(b) During the 2 years immediately preceding the application date, the facility or program has not had a substantial violation of this act, rules promulgated under this act, or the terms of a licensure or an approval under this act.

(c) The school board, board of directors, or governing body adopts a resolution supporting the application for exemption from inspections and on-site visits required under section 5 as provided for in this subsection.

(3) A facility or program granted exemption from inspections and on-site visits required under section 5 as provided under subsection (2) is required to maintain status as a licensed or approved program under this act and must continue to meet the requirements of this act, the rules promulgated under this act, or the terms of a license or approval under this act. A facility or program granted exemption from inspections and on-site visits required under section 5 as provided under subsection (2) is subject to an investigation by the department if a violation of this act or a violation of a rule promulgated under this act is alleged.

(4) A facility or program granted exemption from inspections and on-site visits required under section 5 as provided under subsection (2) is not subject to interim or annual licensing reviews. Such a facility or program is required to submit documentation annually demonstrating compliance with the requirements of this act, the rules promulgated under this act, or the terms of a license or approval under this act.

(5) An exemption provided under subsection (2) may be rescinded by the department if the facility or program willfully and substantially violates this act, the rules promulgated under this act, or the terms of a license or approval granted under this act.

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